Petition to Upgrade Palestine’s Diplomatic Status in Canada

As a part of the campaign to upgrade the status the below letters were sent directly to the Right Honourable Prime Minister and the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs by a group of Canadian religious leaders. The letter that follows, signed by the people will be sent directly to the Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs.

The Palestinians have had a representative in Ottawa for many years, but this representative has never enjoyed the same status as that enjoyed by representatives of other nations. The below petition requests that the status of this representative be upgraded, and that this individual be known as representative of “Palestine” in Canada.

The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of Foreign Affairs,

We would like to express our utmost delight for your leadership of this great country, which makes us fully confident in the returned status of Canada as a major player in the international arena for peace, and the defending of principals of human rights and international legitimacy. As Canadians of Arab origin, and Canadians interested in justice in the Middle East, we are eager to strengthen relations between our home-land Canada and our countries of origin.

We are highly appreciative and supportive of your statements calling to achieve just, comprehensive and lasting peace in the Middle East. We look forward to Canada taking a constructive, unbiased and honest mediation.

We, the undersigned, are asking you to take an active role in the implementation of a symbolic step to upgrade the diplomatic Palestinian representation in Canada to such a rank like: The General Delegation of Palestine, the Diplomatic Mission of Palestine, Diplomatic Representation of Palestine, including granting it the privileges and immunities enjoyed by other countries’ official representation in Canada.

We thank you for your consideration of our request. Please accept our utmost respect and best wishes.